In the lap of the snow capped Himalayas, between the Kingdom of Nepal and the Indian region of Garhwal lie the Kumaon Hills, the home of the Kumaonis and surrounded by picturesque hills and tourist resorts, is the queen of the hills - Ranikhet the abode of the Kumaon Regiment. 

The history of Ranikhet, which is situated at a height of 6,200 to 7,000 feet above sea level, dates back to an English adventurist, Norman Troup, who settled down on the highest point of this virgin land, which is called Troup Hill and today houses the Administration Battalion of the Kumaon Regimental Centre. Troup established tea plantations all along the slope of these hills and became the sole owner of a vast area. In 1824, a visit by Bishop Hebor to this area was the turning point. On seeing the open spaces and slopes of lush green tea plantations, the Bishop was so enamoured by the beauty and serenity of these hills that he influenced the British Government at Delhi to convert this area into a military cantonment and build a retreat for English soldiers to escape the heat of the plains. The British Government acquired all the tea plantations belonging to Troup. A team of English engineers was then sent and soon a mini England came into existence with red roofed bungalows and long green roofed military barracks. Thus by 1869 the Cantonment Board was established which looks after the administration of the military Cantonment till date. By now, Troup having lost his property, moved south towards Chaubatia, where his majestic bungalow still stands as a land mark and a reminder of the gracious life style of this earliest inhabitant of Ranikhet. The house is today being run by its present owner as the ‘Holm Farm Heritage Hotel', a charming place still retaining the legacy handed down through generations.

The early English engineers planned a beautiful township. In order to ensure the smooth construction of roads and houses, the entire hill slopes were stripped off their vegetation. But so thorough was their planning that subsequently a systematic planting of new trees was undertaken. Mother plants were brought from England . Beautiful fruit orchard and nursery consisting of different fruits like apple, apricot, pear, peaches, plums, peach nuts, hazelnuts etc was established at Chaubatia, which even today attracts the visitors who come to Ranikhet. The roads planned by them are remarkable, as they are unusually broad for a hill station, adding to Ranikhet being a walker's paradise. The Upper and Lower Mall Road are dotted with beautiful bungalows on either side, Chester Field, Windy Ho, Belle View, Ridgeway, West View, Cleave Cottage, Priory, Rose Mount, Fir Hill, Jegati Mount, Long View and now Kumaon Lodge, Kumaon Mess, Kumaon Villa, each name reminding one of a bygone era. The majestic trees, Pine, Deodar, Oak, Rhododendron, which we see all over, is a legacy of this remarkable planning. In fact these trees are the very soul of Ranikhet. The Upper Mall Road connects Chaubatia and goes towards the Ranikhet bazaar. Along the Upper Mall, where the Meghdoot Hotel stands today, there was shopping complex consisting of two large departmental stores and a petrol pump which catered to the British gentry. The departmental stores were burnt down in a fire, but the residents of Mall Road still buy their daily needs from here. The Essex House was a popular British Hotel run by Mrs Fergueoson, now houses the Army School.

Another landmark, the Ranikhet Club, located on the slopes of the Upper Mall was conceived in 1918. The bungalow was a picture of architectural beauty with its numerous tennis courts and lush green lawns surrounded by flower beds full of the choicest of flowers, the seeds for which were brought from the famous Valley of Flowers . The club was the hub of activity with the British Civil-Military aristocracy and foreign dignitaries visiting it. Unfortunately, the club building was burnt down due to an accidental fire in 1987. Today when one passes the Ranikhet Club, one is heartened to see that the buildings have been restored to their previous glory. The Club still proudly displays an old photograph of Lt Col Noel Frederick Barwell, the man who in 1946-47 saved the Club from extinction. It is again a thriving institution now.

The Nar Singh Ground was used for tethering horses since 1932 and the old shed, which still stands today, was used as a stable. The ground is flanked on either side by two beautifully constructed churches, St Peter’s Church and the Presbyterian Church, both of which are being maintained and used by the Kumaon Regimental Centre for welfare activity (for War Widows and retired personnel) as they house the Shawl Factory. The large number of century old churches of Ranikhet were built for all sects of Christianity. These are masterpieces of architectural aestheticism and should be preserved as a cultural heritage. Today the Nar Singh Ground is the Centre of all cultural activities, being the only ground available to the people of Ranikhet. People from all walks of life flock the Nar Singh ground for all occasions, be it a religious discourse, a school fete, the Annual Autumn Festival or Ram Lila. Over the years this ground symbolizes the bond between the military and civil population of the brotherhood which ties the entire population of this unique township into one.

In May 1948 when the British vacated the barracks, the Kumaon Regimental Centre was moved from Agra to Ranikhet. In these last 55 years, a lot has been added by the Kumaon Regiment to the assets left behind by the British. The War Memorial, built in 1974, stands as an inspiration for valour and the supreme sacrifice, towering over the Somnath Ground, which again, is a place of pride, where young recruits become soldiers, pledging their loyalty to the motherland. One has to witness the colourful parade to understand the sanctity of this place. The Navjyoti and Nirbhay hostels were built in 1998 with aid from the Uttar Pradesh Government as welfare projects. The Museum was constructed in 1978 to preserve and display the rich and glorious heritage and traditions of the Regiment. Today a visit to Ranikhet is incomplete if one has not spent some time here, as the Kumaon Regiment and Ranikhet have merged into being one entity. The Mankameshwar Temple is the Regimental Mandir of the Kumaon Regiment and was constructed in1978. It houses beautiful deities of Ma Kalika, Radha Krishan and Lord Shiva. The blowing of the conch and the peal of the bells each day at dawn and dusk enfolds in its blessings not only the Kumaon Regimental Centre, but the entire population of Ranikhet.